An apprenticeship is a form of post-secondary education that is a combination of on-the-job training and classroom learning that leads to a skilled trade credential (e.g. mechanic, baker, plumber, etc.).
A skilled trade is a career path that requires hands-on work and specialty knowledge.
About 90% of the learning occurs on the job and 10% of the learning comes from apprenticeship courses, usually 6-8 weeks long at a college or trades training facility.
You get paid for your work, and your workplace often pays for part of your technical training fees.
A list of skilled trades and information on each can be found at the bottom of this page.
Apprenticeship programs are typically 2-5 years in length.
Each apprenticeship program will differ in the type of learning required, length of program, and tuition costs.
Typically apprenticeship programs are measured in "hours" and/or "competencies", so your journey could be shorter or longer depending on how much you are able to work and learn.
Skilled Trades fall into the following four sectors:
Construction (e.g. Construction and Maintenance Electrician)
Industrial (e.g. Welder)
Motive power (e.g. Automotive Service Technician)
Service (e.g. Hairstylist)
Some other important things to note:
You complete your apprenticeship program and complete a Provincial or National final exam to become “licensed”.
Average tuition cost per year is $1,000.
See a full list of designated skilled trades.
Have more questions? Book an appointment with Guidance.
Applying for an Apprenticeship
To become an apprenticeship, students need 2 things:
basic skills needed to enter the trade
an employer, or journeyperson, willing to hire and train them in the trade
For this reason, students can begin their apprenticeship journey at anytime, even after graduation. Developing those basic skills and networking to find a journeyperson to hire you can be difficult, so beginning this process while in high school is best.
For the most prepared, below is how to best use your high school experience to begin your apprenticeship journey into the skilled trades.
Starting your Apprenticeship Journey
Connect with your Guidance counselor and/or the Co-op Dept. to explore your options and learn about the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP).
Include Co-op in your course selections for grade 11 and/or 12.
Consider selecting courses that link with your trade(s) of interest, i.e. Examples: technological studies, food, and fashion courses
September - February: Connect with Guidance and/or Co-op about Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP) and co-operative education courses.
February: Complete course selection for Grade 11 and include Co-op in your selections
Does BHSS offer courses that link with your chosen trade? If so, consider selecting them!
Summer: Consider getting a job or volunteering in your trade of interest. You are more likely to secure a journeyperson to hire and train you if you have some experience and skill in that area.
October: Consider attending an OYAP Open House session at a college or training centre to learn more about OYAP. Guidance will share this information in the parent newsletter and on the Guidance Google Classroom.
February: Complete course selection for Grade 12 and include Co-op in your selections
If you are completing one of the 12 trades offered as Accelerated OYAP at the YRDSB and plan on entering this program, you MUST select 4 credit Co-op.
If you are completing traditional OYAP, you may select 2 credit or 4 credit Co-op.
Some OYAP trades require completion of a specific senior math or science course. Choose these if required. You can see some of those requirements here.
Does BHSS offer courses that link with your chosen trade? If so, consider selecting them!
June: If you planning on completing Accelerated OYAP in grade 12, complete the YRDSB application before the end of Grade 11.
Summer: Consider getting a job or volunteering in your trade of interest. You are more likely to secure a journeyperson to hire and train you if you have some experience and skill in that area.
Those in traditional OYAP will have co-op in semester 1 or semester 2. Those in Accelerated OYAP will have full-day co-op in semester 2.
Your Co-op teacher will help find potential employers who will sponsor your apprenticeship.
You will attend Co-op classes for a few weeks. By week 4, you will likely begin working at your placement with your supervising journeyperson.
September: Those who applied for Accelerated OYAP will have received a confirmation email with instructions to complete a formal application to your specific trade. This is due at the end of October.
September: Your Co-op teacher will connect with you to start your OYAP application, including a resume and cover letter.
October: Those in Accelerated OYAP must attend a OYAP Open House session at a college or training centre with a parent/guardian. Guidance will share this information in the parent newsletter and on the Guidance Google Classroom.
October: All applications are due for OYAP and Accelerated OYAP.
April: Those in Accelerated OYAP will pause their Co-op work and begin their 8 week in-class program, usually at a college, to complete their Level 1 Apprenticeship theory.
June: Accelerated OYAP students will write their Level 1 Apprenticeship Test.
June: Graduation! You made it, congratulations!
Summer: Continue working with your Journeyperson to advance your apprenticeship, or take the next step to find your next journeyperson through the links below, or by connecting through the Support Ontario Youth Program.
Admission Requirements:
To qualify for an apprenticeship, you must:
be at least 16 years of age;
have legal permission to work in Canada (for example, have a valid social insurance number);
meet the educational requirements for your chosen trade;
have a sponsor, or journeyperson, in Ontario.
A sponsor, or journeyperson, is someone who provides you with apprenticeship training. A sponsor can be a single employer, individual (for example, a contractor) or a group of employers (for example, unions or non-union consortiums).
Talk to your teachers and Guidance counsellors to help you:
find an Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP) Cooperative education placement;
the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP) allows high school students to participate in apprenticeship training while earning their high school diploma.
take courses that match your career goals;
start your journey into the skilled trades through the Specialist High Skills Majors and Dual Credit programs.